Orihime, the reluctant warrior
by Ffreader1000
Summary: Orihime’s adventures as a local shinigami.
1. Chapter 1: Eighteen

**_*I don't own Bleach, characters, really anything - it's FF after all! _**

**Graduation**

All the villages designated a protector. They were called shinigami. Orihime was one of them, albeit, a reluctant fighter. In a few months, after graduation and after she celebrated her 18th birthday, she would officially take her post.

She had been chosen from her village as a protector because of her noticeable spiritual powers at a young age. She couldn't refuse. After all, spiritual powers ran in her blood. She also had a strong desire to protect her village and take up her brother's place. Sora was the village's last shinigami before Orihime would take his place.

Both grandparents from her maternal side had spiritual gifts. It skipped over her mother but passed on to her and her older brother Sora. And they took it upon themselves to follow in their grandparents' footsteps - for duty. But this choice had come with a price.

Her grandparents died when her mother was five. That was the life of the shinigami. Most didn't live that long. One could only hope to live as long as the famous Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto. He was already in his 70s but still as powerful and strong as he'd been in his youth, and alive.

Orihime was graduating today from the Shinō Academy. She looked for her friends in the stands. She saw her best friend Tatsuki waving at her with a smile. Her friend Uryu, a Quincy who was looking uncomfortable being there, gave her friendly nod. Her distant aunt even came. Standing next to them were her mentors Rangiku and her captain Toshiro. Orihime was happy.

While she could summon defensive shields and deliver lighting fast attacks with the combination of her Zanpakutō and the summoning of her fairies, the Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield, she often lacked what her teachers called the fighting instinct.

As the procession started, Orihime's thoughts drifted to her choice. Most of her friends and instructors had often tried to talk her out of becoming a shinigami. Orihime was smart and excelled in her classes and even in combat strategies, but she wasn't particularly strong in fighting.

She was also stubborn. She wanted to follow in her brother's footsteps as a protector. He died one night in a fight with a hollow. She was only 12 and he was 22 when that happened.

And she was the one to find him barely breathing, bleeding, and limp. She carried him to the nearest clinic, and that was the last time she saw him alive and the first time she met a young boy Ichigo, who would play a big role in her life. She just didn't know it yet.

Graduation was a big stepping stone in Orihime's life. Her life would take major twists and turns soon after.


	2. Full Circle

**A few months later...**

She skidded backwards, sweat running down her face mixed with dirt, blood, and tears. Her blood. Fat tears came streaming down blurring her vision. She didn't have time to heal herself or to think for that matter. She needed to concentrate on the task at hand: to save her best friend Tatsuki and her little cousin. Orihime's shields were hovering above each of them. Both were unconscious. _Please wake up, Tatsuki, Akemi..._

She swiped her sword at the blurry object ahead of her, grunting loudly as though it might give her more strength. She missed as she swung sloppily and the serpent like demon took the opportunity to swipe at her left arm, claws making shallow cuts on her forearm.

She hissed in pain, "Stop this!"

"Why should I?" the hollow jeered in its inhuman voice. "This is your fault, after all. You made me like this."

"Oniichan...is that really you?" Orihime whispered to herself as she came closer to the hollow. Suddenly, she heard Tatsuki stir and turned around just enough to see out of the corner of her eye that her best friend had woken up.

Tatsuki seemed dazed, but conscious, forcing herself up on her elbows. "Orihime, what's...happ..." Then her voice rose in alarm, "look out!"

Orihime ducked in time. She silently thanks Tatsuki for the warning. She deflected another attack and found her courage, "I can't allow you to kill them!"

She shouted to her friend to run.

Orihime and the hollow were parrying and blocking blows, and she sighed in relief as she looked back to see Tatsuki scoop her cousin up in her arms, retreating. "I'm coming back!" She shouted.

The hollow knocked her sword out of her hand and Orihime yelled out for Tsubaki as she put up a defense shield. Though the shield shattered upon impact, the sprite had managed to slice off a part of the hollow's mask and it provided enough distraction for her to grab her sword.

Looking up, she then fell to her knees with her sword pointed forward. His eyes. Sora's eyes. She was sobbing again, trembling she begged, "Oniichan...please stop..."

It slithered back looking like it was retreating, only to come towards her again moments later. The hollow wriggled closer taking its time to taunt and torture, "You stopped visiting me. You neglected me. Went away. How about joining me? I'll make it less painful."

"I can't join you, oniisan," she pleaded wiping her tears away. She slowly stood up gripping her sword. "I have to protect these people like you once did."

The mask cracked a little more revealing more of Sora's face. It sounded more like him now, "Orihime...why did you leave? Your visits became less and less frequent each year...didn't you care about me?" It stood there now towering in front of her.

"Of course I cared and I always will, but I had to go away to become a shinigami...like you..." replied Orihime.

A rustling came from behind her. "Orihime!" shouted Tatsuki. Upon seeing Orihime's concerned face, the hollow became jealous and attacked, biting Orihime's shoulder tearing flesh. She fell down on her knees again. It started to swerve towards Tatsuki, but a sword slammed into its chest from the back, purifying him instantly.

"I'm sorry Oniichan...I love you," said Orihime as the hollow disappeared before her eyes. She closed her eyes from exhaustion and blood loss, slamming into the ground. Tatsuki ran towards her friend to help her.

In the distance were two pairs of eyes that had been watching this whole exchange, shielding their presence. "Too bad about Acidwire..." one of them said mockingly.

The other one shrugged, "Trash..."

**As you can tell..it's AU**


	3. Fifteen

"She's nothing special," reported Yammy to Hueco Mundo's king. The king looked towards Ulquiorra for confirmation.

"He's right Aizen-Sama. She's weak. She barely made it alive," said Ulquiorra in his matter of fact voice. "She has some shielding capability and a little fairythat helps her fight." He looked over the projection they were watching, showing images of the fight.

"Hmmm..." said Aizen nonchalantly not giving away any of his thoughts._ There's something there, I know it. I'll find it._

Once the Yammy and Ulquiorra finished giving their accounts and left, Aizen turned to his closest comrades Gin and Kaname. "She's interesting and we don't know enough about her. Let's send someone to the field...what do you think about Ichigo?" He followed with a smirk.

Kaname spoke up, "Is that wise? He could be found out. What if someone recognizes him?"

"Call him in..." said Aizen.

Ichigo was a promising soldier in Aizen's army. Aizen was always looking for additional recruits. In reality, most of his army weren't "recruited," rather taken by force or manipulation though it had been easy enough to get the best Arrancars to fall to his feet when he decided to rule Hueco Mundo. He needed soldiers with special talents for the war he was soon going to wage.

Ichigo was special, a hybrid that Aizen watched for a long time. He was part hollow and had Quincy and shinigami bloodlines. He had vast amounts of spiritual power.

He was captured at 12. Aizen sent Grand Fisher to do the job: abduct Ichigo and knock Masaki unconscious. But Masaki wasn't easily taken down and got killed in the process of protecting her son that rainy afternoon.

Ichigo no longer remembered his past. Aizen erased his memory. At 18, he was tall - almost six feet - slightly lanky, with long legs and a muscular toned body. He kept his orange mane long and shaggy stopping just past his shoulders. He kept long bangs that almost covered his deep brown eyes. He was handsome. On his back, in the right upper corner, was a tattoo of the number 15. His rank. Like the Arrancars, he had a hole in his chest but only when transformed.

The traces of old Ichigo and his humanity were still there. He often refused to fight those that were clearly weaker than him and showed mercy during a fight. They all dismissed it as arrogance.

His handsomeness never went unnoticed and he took advantage of it. He had many lovers in Hueco Mundo but his constant lover was Tier. She pleased him in bed, she fought with him and was a good opponent, and very possessive of Ichigo.

**Two days later...**

There was a knock on Ichigo's door. "It better not be you, Tier," he yelled as he strode toward the door with Melony and Loly following at his heels. "I'm not in the mood."

He opened the door to a smiling Gin. "Aizen wants to see you."

They walked into Aizen's chambers. Kaname and Szayel were there already sitting around the conference table.

"Ahhh, there you are," smiled Aizen and motioned for Ichigo and Gin to take a seat. "I have an important assignment for you, Ichigo, one that requires you to go to the Human World. It's a surveillance job."

Ichigo questioned, "Isn't Ulquiorra best suited for a job like that?"

Aizen ignored his response. "You'll be there for a few months. Get as much information you can about her powers, any weaknesses, allies, and such." He pointed to the projection screen as she showed images of the fight between Orihime and Acidwire.

"Tchhh..." Ichigo snorted, thinking she was a small fry. "Why me?"

"Because, you can blend in the best in their society," answered Aizen. "You don't have a permanent mask like the rest of the Arrancars and this assignment requires you to blend in. You'll be posing as a human."


	4. Resolve

**Two days after the fight...**

Orihime awoke, feeling groggy and pained. She was dressed in a hospital gown and had bandages wrapped over her upper body, arms, and face. There were so many emotions and thoughts running through her mind. Her brother - a hollow. How he tried to kill her and Tatsuki and Tatsuki's niece. How they all almost died. How she killed him. How her brother accused her of turning him into a hollow.

She was met with Tatsuki's form, slumped over in a chair near her bedside. Tatsuki was awake. She stated tiredly, "You're at the Kurosaki clinic by the way. You've been recovering for about two days." Orihime's eyes widened. _Two days!_

"You were badly injured and lost a lot of blood," said Tatsuki. "Just wait for me to get Dr. Kurosaki before you summon your fairies, ok?"

**_*_**

Knock. Knock. "Come in!" said Orihime.

Dr. Isshin Kurosaki opened the door with Tatsuki in tow. "How are you feeling, my dear?"

Orihime replied, "Just a little sore but overall pretty well, Dr. Kurosaki."

"Like I've said before, call me Isshin," he said as he sat down in the chair next to her. "It was touch and go for the first few hours when you came in but you're clearly in the safe zone now."

He paused, trying to recall anything important he had to say. "I called your emergency contact Ms. Yoruichi Shihōin and she visited yesterday. She asked me to tell you to stop by the Urahara Shop before you went home."

Orihime nodded. "You can heal yourself now," said Isshin.

**_*_**

Orihime was ready to go. She said her goodbyes to Dr. Kurosaki and his daughters as they had just returned home from school.

Tatsuki and Orihime stood in front of the clinic. "You sure you don't need company?" Tatsuki asked.

"No, I'll see you on campus tomorrow morning," Orihime answered.

They parted ways.

That night when she got back to her apartment, she once again tried to push those memories of her brother as a hollow as her eyes found her brother's shrine. Starting next week, she'd be training again with Yoruichi. She'd get stronger - it was a promise to protect her village and the people she loved.


	5. Seeingyou,Notseeingme

_Be her best friend_. Those were the last words Aizen said to him before he left for his assignment.

Ichigo had spent weeks training under Aizen and a close team on what to expect and how to maneuver in the human world, as well as other skills like how to be charming.

All that works just to profile Orihime Inoue and get the details on the extent of her powers, her strengths and weaknesses, and what could break her.

Everything had already been set up for him including an apartment, job, clothes, money, and cell phone amongst other things.

He arrived on a Tuesday afternoon, a day before he was to start a job as Orihime's English tutor.

After he had finished unpacking and getting used to his new apartment,!which was two buildings down from Orihime, he decided to explore the neighborhood.

By the time he had gone out it was already most people's dinner times. It was the perfect time to hunt for something to eat. Although he could eat real food, he preferred souls. He looked down at his watch that Szayel developed to limit his spiritual pressure to completely mask his presence. This would be easy.

**_*_**

Orihime was walking down an alley towards her apartment, she just finished taking care of a hollow. Tomorrow was a school day and the first time she would meet with her new tutor. While Orihime excelled in all her science and math classes, she did poorly in language, which was a requirement for graduation.

She was almost home when a shiver ran down her spine and she abruptly stopped walking. A hollow. A big one. An alert flashed on her phone. She flash stepped to the location.

There was only darkness and nothingness in the park. Was she too late? She didn't feel the hollow any more. However, Orihime felt another presence that she couldn't place but she shook it off. She scanned the area as the walkway lamps came on again, illuminating the park's pathways.

Orihime was confused and she didn't like the feeling. The hollow had likely been exterminated, but it wasn't purified.

Was it another hollow? A rogue Quincy that took care of the hollow? They weren't allowed to hunt hollows anymore without permission and only the Ishidas had them. She didn't feel their reiatsus. She would have to talk to Uryu about it tomorrow.

A muffled sob broke her out of her thoughts. She ran towards the sound. It was a man holding his head in pain.

"Are you okay?" Orihime asked. The man looked up. Once he saw the shinigami, he started to calm down. At first, he couldn't speak.

Orihime thought that he must've been badly traumatized. It was a mixture of that and that he hadn't expected to see such an attractive young woman.

After catching his breath, he started to speak, "I'm ok now. A hollow tried to eat me and then...something from behind knocked me out. Not a hollow though, something else."

He was struggling now replaying the events in his head, unbelieving the words that came from his own mouth. He stammered, "I...I... c-c-came to though...I don't k-k-now what I saw but I saw him...i-i-t..devour the hollow."

"Are you sure it wasn't a hollow? A ghost?" Orihime tried to clarify.

He shook his head, "I-I don't know. I don't think so." Orihime put away the details into the back of her mind. Did she really want to put that into her report?

"What's your name?" Orihime asked trying to calm the man once more.

"Kazu," He said.

"Ok, Kazu. Thank you for telling me what happened. I'm sorry I didn't get here on time," Orihime said gently. She reached out to touch his shoulder and then held out her hand to help him up. He felt better and she didn't make him feel ashamed for crying or panicking.

"I'm ok," He said reassuringly.

Orihime have him a small, warm smile and nodded her head. She stayed put for a bit and watched him walk away before tailing him all the way home for his safety and her peace of mind. What she didn't know was that she was also being tailed.

As she walked back to her own home, she berated herself for not coming soon enough. She saw fear in the man's eyes like she hadn't seen before and that unsettled her.

**_*_**

Ichigo saw a middle aged man cutting across the park and felt a hollow appearing. The hollow was big one too.

_Finally, dinner._ He smiled as he punched the man knocking him to the ground unconscious. Then he looked up at the hollow, licking his lips.

He was happy and full. Very full. The shinigami appeared not a second later and he hid himself quickly.

The pathway lights came on. And there she was in full sight. He took her in, scanning her features and body. They were more delicate and soft unlike the hardened women he was used to in Hueco Mundo. He smirked. He might enjoy getting to know her.

The only images he had seen of her was from the video Aizen showed when he summoned him - her face and clothes had been covered in dirt, blood, and tears. And he hadn't opened the file of her yet that Kaname gave him to study. Seeing her now close up, his heart started to beat a little quicker but he thought nothing of that.

He saw her calm the man down and follow him home. He saw the tears that ran down her face as she walked home. He didn't understand why she was crying.

But what he knew was that he was captivated - whether it would be in a good or bad way - only time would tell.


	6. Getting to Know You, Part 1

Today would be the first day that they would meet for the first time. He still wasn't sure what to make of her from last night. He wondered briefly how she would react seeing him turn into a pale white beast with a mask and two long horns that faced downward protruding from his head.

**_*_**

Orihime was walking up the stairs to the third floor to her first tutoring session. It was buzzing more than usual in the Language Arts building. She heard whispers about the new tutor. Supposedly, he was scary. Her friend Mahana said he looked like a delinquent. Her classmate Riruka said he was hot.

The department head greeted her as she came into the room. Orihime bowed, "Kon'nichiwa, Tanaka sensei."

"Kon'nichiwa, Inoue-san. Let me introduce you to your tutor this quarter, Ichigo Aizen," he stated. Ichigo stood beside him, hands still in his pockets. _Ichigo sounded familiar. She had known only one boy with that name, which was a long time ago. And she could no longer __remember what he looked like. Besides, she thought, his young man had black hair. _

Orihime bowed to him, "Kon'nichiwa, Aizen sensei."

Ichigo looked at her with an impassive look, studying her. "Just call me Ichigo. I'm not a fan on formalities," he said. She nodded.

Mr. Tanaka left them to continue. She followed him to the back room where there were tables and desks. Like him, she was trying to figure him out. She thought about Riruka's comment, a blush creeping on her cheeks. He wasn't how she pictured him at all.

They sat down and proceeded to review the English lesson without unnecessary conversation. Ichigo found her to be forthcoming. The hour had passed by quickly and as they got up to go, she smiled at him, "Thank you, Aizen-san."

So she confessed to be the local shinigami, how she followed in her brother's footsteps, how she was still trying and learning to harness her powers. _Rejection and not healing. This Aizen would be excited to know._

He asked whether he could walk her out. She was flustered and he could tell. He didn't wait for her answer as he followed her out of the room and building. _This was going to be easier than he thought._


	7. Getting to Know You, Part 2

That night, he experienced a nightmare, like he had once when he was younger. A woman that sort of looked like Orihime was covering him. He remembered blood soaked hair and stillness. He could only hear his quick breaths.

When he saw her that day for the last tutoring session that week, he felt that he couldn't turn on the charm. Orihime instantly felt the change. He was quiet and distracted.

Orihime tried to break the ice, "Having girlfriend problems? Hehe!"

He shook his head and pressed ahead on the lesson.

_Did I do or say something wrong? _She thought best to just keep quiet.

Ichigo made it in time to witness the beginning of a battle. Three hollows near the river, and one of them was an Adjucha.

Aizen sent them. He was there to observe and report.

The Adjucha stayed back to let the Menos attack her first.

There was a group of teenagers that were passed out several feet away, a shield over them.

She had two hollows in front of her. She couldn't retreat back any further because it would be too close to the teens. She didn't want to risk it.

She made her move, calling out for Tsubaki. She knew that they were waiting for her to advance and she did, flash stepping right between them. She sliced cleanly through the one on her right while the other was distracted by Tsubaki.

The distraction gave Orihime an opening to attack from the back. But with her back turned, the Adjucha made its move. Ichigo almost shouted out to her. Orihime called out a command and a huge shield formed behind her and as it lunged, the shield repelling it back with a good amount of force.

Ichigo's eyes widened. The shield repelled an a Adjucha. He would have to tell Aizen about this.

As the shield fell she flash stepped away, every second taking a look back, making sure it would follow her. She needed to be further from the teenagers to keep them safe. She hoped it would come after her. And it did.

They were in the middle of the field now and the Adjucha was about to produce a cero. She ran towards it, and as the cero came she summoned her shield again. It repelled the attack but the cero died as it hit the shield. It didn't counter like it did before.

That technique had taken a lot out of her and it didn't work as she would have liked.

It was close combat now, sword against claws and fists against fists. She got caught, an arm had tightened around her ankle, causing her to fall. She called to to Tsubaki who sliced through its fingers. The Adjucha roared. Orihime was able to roll away, her ankle was bruised but she had to stand up.

Orihime was breathing heavy as she blocked another oncoming strike. She punched its face, in which the Adjucha stepped back a little. It was going to release another cero, but she wasn't going to let that happen. She needed to finish this now. She knew she couldn't keep summoning her shield. She was running out of energy.

She whispered a chant. Tsubaki came out and mutliplied into ten of him, and they started their attack towards the Adjucha. Then Orihime made her move. It was done. She was the victor.

She was disheveled, sweaty, her hair sticking to her neck and face. Ichigo was memorized. She could actually fight. She fell in exhaustion - unconscious - in the grass. Then Tsubaki and the shield protecting the teens disappeared instantly.

Ichigo waited for a few minutes to see if she'd stir. She didn't. But she was breathing. He saw the teens come to and then scurry from afar.

He picked her up and walked towards her apartment.

He settled her onto her front door. She was starting to gain awareness. Her eyes still closed, he noticed her thick, long lashes. His eyes moved down from her face to her torso where her wrapover blouse was loose on her chest. He could see the curves of her breasts that moved in slow rhythm as she breathed in and out. He blushed. He quickly looked away and started down the stairs.

Orihime opened her eyes and slowly stood up. _How did she get here? Ichigo? _


	8. Interruptions

Orihime couldn't stop thinking about Ichigo. She swore he was the one that brought her home. "Hello? Orihime?" Tatsuki waved in front of her face.

"Sorry, Tatsuki..." replied Orihime.

"What are you thinking about?" Tatsuki chided.

"Just a weird dream I..." Orihime started but stopped as she spotted Ichigo walking towards them.

Tatsuki stared at her friend and then towards the man coming closer. There was something so familiar about him, especially his facial features.

"Hi Inoue," said Ichigo. "Um hi, Aizen-san," replied Orihime. Then turning to her friend, "This is Arisawa Tatsuki."

_Tatsuki. Tatsuki? Tatsuki? _He shook his head and waved hello. Ichigo cleared his throat, "Good to meet you, Arisawa San."

As Ichigo walked Orihime to towards the tutoring building, he went into another mood. Orihime sighed.

She ran out of Urahara Shōten as her cell phone sent an alert. She looked around confused. Where was the hollow? She felt its presence a minute ago. There was also another presence which was quickly disappearing. She followed after it.

Aizen had messaged Ichigo tonight. It was time to bring The shinigami to Hueco Mundo tonight. But that was not to be.

"Aizen-san?"

"Orihime?"

"Tatsuki? Uryu?"

Orihime spoke first, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Uryu felt a strong spiritual pressure nearby and we ran over here," answered Tatsuki.

They turned to Ichigo. "I was just going to find something to eat."

Uryu looked at Ichigo hard. There was something he found unsettling about the man. He looked at Orihime. "We'll walk you home."

Orihime and Tatsuki said their goodbyes to Ichigo and followed after Uryu.


	9. The Calm Before The Storm

Ichigo was annoyed. As he walked back to his apartment he sent a message to Aizen that he wasn't going to be able to bring Orihime tonight.

Aizen messaged him right away and asked him to wait a few more days, but to closely stick to Orihime. Central 46 was on alert.

When Orihime returned home, she was startled to see Rukia, Rangiku, and Renji sitting in her living room.

Rangiku ran towards Orihime to give her a big crushing hug. Renji cleared his throat loudly and Rangiku released her.

Rukia spoke up, "Rangiku had a key."

Orihime nodded in acknowledgement and greeted Rukia and Renji warmly. It was nice to see old faces from the Academy, especially these three whom Orihime regarded as friends. But she knew it wasn't a social call noticing that they were still in their shinigami robes.

She gestured for them to sit as she got up to make some tea.

Rukia spoke up, "We came to check up on you after you didn't report back in the other night with SRDI lab."

[Note: Shinigami Research and Development Institute's Spiritual Wave Measurement Lab]

Orihime apologized and then explained the events that took place, of what she could remember, from last night. She left out Ichigo though, feeling it was unnecessary and besides, she wasn't sure he brought her home.

Renji put a hand on Orihime's shoulder, "We're glad you're safe."

Rukia gave her a soft smile with a look of admiration, "An Adjucha - I'm impressed, Orihime."

She blushed.

Rukia continued, getting down to business. "The SRDI has been detecting abnormal spiritual pressure fluctuations. There's been a spike of hollows that are being completely extinguished in Kararuka and surrounding vicinities. There's somewhat of a pattern."

As Rukia briefed Orihime, she remembered something. Orihime spoke up, recalling the event that happened a few weeks ago at the local park and Kazu. She couldn't forget the look of terror on his face that night.

Orihime frowned, "I didn't report that either because I had remembered that sometimes hollows absorbed other hollows."

Renji interrupted, "That does happen, but rarely on this plane - you know, they prefer human souls dead or alive."

Orihime's frown deepened. Rukia followed jabbing Renji in the stomach, "Don't worry about it, Orihime."

"Anyway, we're going to be posted around Karakura for awhile to investigate," Rukia continued.

Rangiku smiled at Orihime gleefully, "We can hang out!"

Rukia and Renji sighed loudly.


End file.
